Chapter 2
-[New Quest has been added!]-
-[Hard Work beats Talent! Your stats are in terrible shape! start learning!! Rewards: 1 Rare Roll. Failure: Main Quest will be automatically failed]-
"EEHH"
'But how and where do I even start!'
-[Daily Quests has been created!]-
-[Exersize!: Perform the given exersizes!
0 / 100 Pushups
0 / 100 Situps
30 meters / 10 Kilometer Run
Rewards: Slight Increase in status. Failure: Slight Decrease in status]-
'Ehhhh 100 Pushups and Situps! I will die before I start thinking about order' Ryusei complained.
Despite his complaints, Ryusei unwillingly dragged his body outside and started performing the tasks.
"99..." Ryusei muttered under his breath as he stood up.
"One more come on body," He said encouraging himself as he bent on his knees once again.
The bright day had now turned into a dark night as the moonlight shined over his face.
"100" Ryusei muttered as he stood up again and collapsed on the ground right after that.
"haah, haah, haah" He breathed heavily with his tongue out and sweat dreanching his clothes.
-[Daily Quest completed! Some stats have been updated!]-
-[Strength: F+ ->E-
Agility: F-> E-
Endurance: E -> EE]-
'At least it was not for nothing' Ryusei thought to himself as he stood up.
"KE KE KE" A sickly sound caught Ryusei's attention as he tried to find its source.
"KE KE KE" The sound came again as if calling out to him.
Curiosity filling his mind Ryusei started following the source of the sounds.
-[Debuff: Confusion(CC), Attraction(D)]-
"KE KE KE"
"KE KE KE"
The closer he got the higher the sound's pitch went.
"KI KI KI" The words now seemed different.
Suddenly Ryusei's body stopped as he looked in front.
In front of him was a creature with a humanoid body resembling a woman wearing a white dress however it had an unusually long neck.
The creature stopped making that noise and turned around.
It had long hair on top of its head, large beady eyes, and a mouth not even a mother could not love.
"Wha-What!" Ryuseil exclaimed in surprise as he stumbled back.
-[Debuff: None]-
A strong chill went through his spine as he stared at the creature's eye.
-[Unique quest has started!]-
-[First Encounter: This is the first time you have encountered a Grade 2 Curse. Exorcise it. Rewards: 5 GP, 500FP, Increase 'Curse Control' Stat. Failure: Death]-
'Can I really do it?' Ryusei questioned himself as the creature was now on all four of its limbs and its head slowly approached him, Ryusei curled his tiny hands into a fist.
As soon as the creature's face was almost nearing his, Ryusei threw a punch at its eyes.
His punch was fueled with emotions of fear and hatred and was now covered with cursed energy.
With a stroke of luck granted by the heavens or because of his inexperience, the curse energy flowing through him was fueled just by instincts.
The cursed energy applied was just 0.000001 seconds later than the physical hit.
A Black Flash.
-[Strength:E- -> CCC]-
The creature's eye and the left half of its face immediately exploded as purplish liquid oozed out of it.
-[Strength: CCC -> E- ]-
-[Buff: Zone]-
"KIAKKIIIIII!!!" The creature yelled out as it retracted its head. The situation was now turned in its eyes.
It didn't attract prey, it had attracted a predator.
"KIAAAA" The creature screeched loudly as it stumbled back attempting to run.
Ryusei was filled with his instincts and focused on the sole purpose of destroying the creature, seeing the approaching Ryusei the curse started to run.
The fatigue and the muscle pain he had from his exercise now seemed to have vanished as a state of euphoria replaced it.
He grinned with joy as cursed energy covered his body and he struck the creature's retracting neck.
-[Buff: Zone, Runner's High]-
-[Strength: E- -> EE]-
-[Agility: E- -> DD]-
-[Endurance: EE -> CCC]-
-[Curse Controal: F- -> E+]-
Ryusei didn't stop as he continued to run and punch the creature as many times as he could as the creature bleeding heavily was just deadset on running far from him.
Not aware of its surroundings the creature crashed into a wall with its head now stuck inside it.
"KI KI KI KI"
-[Debuff: Confusion(CC), Attraction(D) ]-
-[Endurance: (CCC)]-
-[Failure]-
-[Debuff: None]-
Ryusei did not waste another moment and he started to mercilessly strike at the cursed spirit's back.
With one last punch, the creature ultimately lost and succumbed to its own death.
Ryusei stood there as the creature's body started to disappear into faint particles as he stood there.
-[Buff: None]-
As the duration of Zone and his Runner's High ran out he collapsed to his knees. His knuckles were torn from hitting the creature so many times.
Ryusei was in fact not strong enough to take on a grade 2 curse on his own. If only the first black flash didn't land if only the creature decided to strike once again. The one lying dead would have been Ryusei.
Today's victory was not by his skills but by the sheer luck, he was blessed with.
-[Strength: EE -> E- ]-
-[Agility: DD ->E- ]-
-[Endurance: CCC -> EE ]-
-[Unique quest has Completed!]-
-[First Encounter: This is the first time you have encountered a Grade 2 Curse. Exorcise it. Rewards: 5 GP, 500FP, Increase 'Curse Control' Stat. Failure: Death]-
-[Host has received: 5 GP, 500 FP, Increase in Curse Control!]-
-[Curse control: F- -> EE]-
"Huf...Huff..." All the exhaustion and pain accumulated and hit Ryusei at the same time.
He was laid on the ground not caring about his surroundings.
Just before he closed his eyes he saw another line from the system.
-[Inherited Innate Technique: Gastly Laugh]-
"Kiddo! hey Kiddo are you alight?" A rough voice called as Ryusei felt someone lightly slapping his face.
"Where am I?" Ryusei questioned as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Kiddo you good?" Another voice questioned.
Ryusei woke up and looked at the two men who were standing over him. Memories from the last night hit his head.
"Who are you?" Ryusei questioned as he managed to stand up.
"Who are we does not matter, who are you? where are your parents" One of the men questioned.
The two men who woke Ryusei up were wearing farming outfits with one of them carrying a shovel.
"I am Ryusei...I live at the Fushi" Ryusei mumbled.
"Fushi? Do you mean the orphanage?" The other man questioned.
"Yes," Ryusei responded scratching his head.
"You are in luck kiddo that we found you, you think you can walk back there?" One of them questioned.
"Yeah, Yes I got it" Ryusei responded as he stretched out his arms.
"Alright kiddo, stay safe. Don't you know the legend of Tsukashi-san?" The man questioned.
"Legend of Tsukashi-san?" Ryusei questioned.
"If you knew it you wouldn't be sleeping out in the open."
"The legend says that when the sun goes down a Yokai with a long neck and large eyes hunts children around this area" The other man stated in a voice as if trying to scare Ryusei.
'Long neck, beady eyes?' Ryusei questioned as he remembered the curse he killed last night.
"You don't need to worry for me, I am strong!" Ryusei responded as he raised his fists.
"BWAHAHA" The two men laughed at Ryusei's antics.
-[Fame Points: + 20]-
-[Fame Points: +20]-
"Anyways you should return now kiddo, the Fushi's would have been worried sick about ya," The man said as the two walked away.
Ryusei stared at the back of the two men who walked away and then started to trace his way back to the orphanage.
'I remember another notification before I passed out'
'System Status'
-[Status]-
-[Name: Ryusei]-
-[Age: 4 Years]-
-[Race: Human]-
-[Strength: E- ]-
-[Agility: E- ]-
-[Endurance: EE]-
-[Cursed Reserves: B+]-
-[Cursed Technique: Cursed Inheritance, Gastly Laugh]-
-[Curse Controal: EE]-
-[Buffs: None]-
-[Debuffs: None]-
-[Skills: Reading(A), Litrature(D), Punching(F)]-
-[Template: None]-
-[Template Skills: None]-
-[Quests: 2]-
-[Daily Quest Genrated:
Perform these exercises!
0/100 Pushups
0/100 Situps
0/10 Kilometer Run
Rewards: Slight Increase in Physical stats, Failure: Failure of quest Hard work beats Talent ]-
'There is another curse technique in my stats now'
'System Describe Gastly Laugh'
-[Innate Technique: Gastly Laugh: The user lets out a creepy laugh that causes confusion on the nearby targets. If the target's endurance is greater than the user's curse control, the technique fails]-
'So I won against that thing, no that curse. But what was that black lightning that I saw when I punched it?' Ryusei asked himself as he saw the gates to the orphanage.
-[Black Flash: Black Flash is a distortion in space that occurs when cursed energy is applied within 0.000001 seconds of a physical hit. When a user is able to achieve this, their cursed energy flashes black, and the destructive power of their strike is equal to a normal hit to the power of 2.5. This also causes the user to enter a state of 'the zone']-
Ryusei silently approached the orphanage he opened the back door and tried to mix in with the kid doing morning chores.
Unknown to him a large arm reached out to him. Swiftly the arm grabbed Ryuse and lifted him up.
Suddenly a wave of exhaustion filled Ryusei as he prepared himself for the questions coming his way.
---
"Huff...Huff...Huff" Ryusei panted heavily was ran around the playground trying to complete his daily quest.
After an hour-long of complaints, scolding, and convincing Ryusei was finally free from the Fushi couple.
As soon as he was left alone he once again started his daily training. After last night's encounter, he was even more motivated to grow stronger.
"What's with the brat training?" A man muttered under his breath as he approached the orphanage.
His eyes were focused on Ryusei who was pushing his body to its limits doing pushups, squats, and running around.
'He does have a decent amount of curse energy flowing through him...he has no control over it from the looks of it' The man thought to himself.
The man was rather tall standing at a height of 6'1. He had slightly tanned skin and curly black hair.
He was wearing a casual beach imprint t-shirt and navy blue jeans.
The man opened his flip phone as he watched a video recorded by a window who was keeping track of a grade 2 curse.
The curse spirit was running away from the kid and mistakenly lodged itself into a wall. The kid didn't waste any time and started to pummel it to death.
Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer: Takana Shigure.
'Hardcore, the brat really is something.' Takana thought to himself and approached Ryusei.
"Wassup Brat!" Takana greeted as he approached Ryusei who was on the ground panting heavily.
"I know you?" Ryusei questioned as Takana looked out of place for someone in the countryside.
"Nah, but I know you" Takan responded with a smile on his face.
Ryusei froze up upon hearing those words. He had read about people like that in the manga. They were called a stalker.
"STALKER! STALKER!!" Ryusei yelled loudly making Takana take a step back in confusion.
The doors of the orphanage were flung open as Takashi came out holding a frying pan.
"Get away you stinky brat! Get away from Ryusei!" Takashi yelled waving around the pan.
"Ho-Hold on gramps!" Takana yelled as he held his arms up to protect his face.
"It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" Takana yelled out in panik.
After a few minutes, the drama settled down as the three sat on chairs facing each other.
"So you are saying that you want to adopt Ryusei since he might be the son of your late cousin?" Takashi questioned still wary of Takana.
"Yes, yes" Takana swiftly responded as he opened his bag taking out some papers.
"hmmm, the dates do match when we found out Ryusei, however, whether he wants to come with you or not is his decision" Takashi stated firmly.
-[Unique Quest Generated!]-
-[You are a sorcerer Ryusei! : Follow the Semi-Grade 1 Sorcerer Takana Shigure and join Jujutsu High when you are 15 years of age. Rewards: 1000 FP, 5 GP. Failure: Unable to side with Jujutsu Sorcerers during quests]-
'There are only rewards upon joining...siding with the Jujutsu sorcerers also means I can ask for their help from time to time...I will also learn a lot about curse energy from these guys' Ryusei thought to himself.
"Alright! I have decided I will follow you!" Ryusei yelled as he pointed at Takana.
"Good Choice!!" Takana yelled as he and Ryusei shook hands.
"Are you really sure about this?" Takashi asked Ryusei once again.
"Yeah...I like living here, I like everyone here but...I also wanna know more about the outside" Ryusei stated with a determined look on his face.
Takashi looked at Ryusei's determined face and a memory flashed in front of his eyes.
"Dad! I wanna leave to see the big cities!" A girl stated at a much younger-looking Takashi.
At that moment Ryusei's face seemed to overlap the young girl's. A single tear dropped from Takashi's eyes.
"Is that so...do as you wish. I will always support you" Takashi responded to both Ryusei and to his daughter.